Claims
- 1. In a cell processing system having a rotating portion comprising a rotating processing container and a non-rotating portion comprising a supply port for supplying materials to the rotating processing container, the improvement comprising
a plurality of annular rotating seals defining at least one annular space between the annular rotating seals, the at least one annular space constructed and arranged for receiving pressurized gas.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of annular rotating seals comprises a plurality of sealing members defining annular sealing surfaces which form a plurality of concentrically spaced annular seals, the annular rotating seals defining at least one annular space,
wherein at least one of the sealing members defines a channel in a non-sealing surface, wherein the channel is in gaseous communication with the at least one annular space, and wherein the at least one annular space is pressurized with gas.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the annular sealing surfaces are substantially planar.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a body defining a gas port, wherein the gas port is in gaseous communication with the channel.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a pressure sensor in communication with the gas port for monitoring the gas pressure in the annular space.
- 6. A seal apparatus comprising
a first annular rotating seal member having a non-sealing face, and a sealing face which defines a plurality of concentrically spaced annular sealing surfaces, the member further defining an axial opening, and a second annular rotating seal member having a non-sealing face, and a sealing face which defines at least one annular sealing surface, the member further defining an axial opening, wherein the first annular rotating seal member and the second annular rotating seal member are axially aligned, wherein the annular sealing surfaces of the first annular rotating seal member and the second annular rotating seal member are placed in contact to form a plurality of spaced apart seals.
- 7. The seal apparatus of claim 6, wherein the annular sealing surfaces are substantially planar.
- 8. The seal apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sealing face of the first sealing element further defines an annular space between the annular sealing faces.
- 9. The seal apparatus of claim 6, wherein the annular sealing surfaces of the first annular rotating seal member and the second annular rotating seal member are biased together by a bias element.
- 10. The seal apparatus of claim 9, wherein the bias element is an elastomeric spring element.
- 11. The seal apparatus of claim 6, wherein the annular sealing surfaces of the first annular rotating seal member and the second annular rotating seal member are formed of a material selected from the group consisting of ceramics and carbon phenolic.
- 12. The seal apparatus of claim 11, wherein the annular sealing surfaces of the first annular rotating seal member and the second annular rotating seal member are formed of ceramic.
- 13. The seal apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one of the non-sealing faces of the first annular rotating seal member and the second annular rotating seal member define a channel in gaseous communication with the annular space.
- 14. The seal apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a body comprising a first port, the non-sealing face of the first annular rotating seal member mounted in axial alignment on the body, the first port disposed in the axial openings of the first and second annular rotating seal members.
- 15. The seal apparatus of claim 14, wherein at least one of the non-sealing faces of the first annular rotating seal member and the second annular rotating seal member define a channel in gaseous communication with the annular space, and wherein the body further comprises a gas port in communication with the channel.
- 16. The seal apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a base having an axial opening and a processing container having a top defining an axial opening, the base mounted in axial alignment on the top of the processing container, the second annular rotating seal member mounted in axial alignment on the top surface of the base, wherein the first port is in fluid communication with the interior of the processing container.
- 17. The seal apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first port extends through the axial openings of the first and second annular rotating seal members and the base.
- 18. The seal apparatus of claim 17, wherein the body further comprises a fluid port in fluid communication with the space defined by the first port, the first and second annular rotating seal members and the axial opening of the base.
- 19. The seal apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an outer shield defining a space between the outer shield and the body, the base and the first and second annular rotating seal members.
- 20. The seal apparatus of claim 19, wherein the outer shield comprises a shield top, a shield bottom and a shield clamp, wherein the shield top is releasably mounted on the shield bottom, and wherein shield bottom and shield clamp have overlapping flanges which form a serpentine seal. (One diameter smaller than other, smaller diam piece has outward flange, large diam piece has overlapping inward flange.)
- 21. The seal apparatus of claim 20, further comprising an elastomeric spring element disposed between the shield top and the body, wherein the clamp is movable between a first position and a second position wherein the shield clamp is engaged with the base, wherein the spring element is compressed when the shield clamp is in the second position.
- 22. A method for sealing a rotating processing container, comprising
providing a stationary seal member mounted on a processing system, the stationary seal comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced annular sealing elements, providing a rotating seal member mounted on the rotating processing container, the rotating seal member at least one annular sealing element, and contacting the sealing elements of the stationary seal member and the at least one sealing element of the rotating sealing member to form a rotating seal between the rotating processing container and the processing system.
- 23. A method for sealing a rotating processing container, comprising
providing a plurality of annular seals between the rotating processing container and a processing system, wherein the plurality of annular seals define an annular space, and pressurizing the annular space.
- 24. A method for heating or cooling a sample during transport of the sample into or out of a rotating processing container, comprising
providing a seal apparatus comprising a rotating seal and a port for transport of a sample to the rotating processing container, wherein the seal and the port define a space in contact with the port, and filling the space with a material having a temperature which is at or below the temperature of the sample for cooling the sample, or a material having a temperature which is at or above the temperature of the sample for heating the sample.
- 25. A spring comprising
a hollow elastomeric cylinder having bowed side portions.
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit under Title 35, U.S.C. §119(e) of pending U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 60/047,213, filed May 20, 1997, entitled “Cell Processing System”, incorporated herein by reference. This application is also related to co-pending U.S. patent applications entitled: “Apparatus and Method for Expressing Fluid Materials” (Attorney Docket Z0090/7013); “Fluid Management Systems” (Attorney Docket Z0090/7014); “Optical Sensors for Cell Processing Systems” (Attorney Docket Z0090/7015); and “Cell Processing Systems” (Attorney Docket Z0090/7016), all of which are incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60047213 |
May 1997 |
US |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09081733 |
May 1998 |
US |
Child |
09760684 |
Jan 2001 |
US |